Photo from Degilog
English translation of an excerpt of a Japanese article: BLOGOS – June 13, 2012
It has been disclosed by witness of the incumbent governor that Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. (KEPCO) had enterprises obey the company’s demand by using “blackout” as tactics and spurred them to threaten chiefs of local governments.
Today at a press conference of the FCC, Shiga Prefectural Governor Yukiko Kada has disclosed it. She had completely changed her stance from “not acceptance of resuming operations” to “acceptance of resumption in summer.”
Being asked about “Why did you completely change your stance though you had strongly voiced against resumption before? “, she answered as follows:
“I was threatened by KEPCO, the government and enterprises, saying ‘What are you going to do in case of a blackout in summer? Can you take responsibility for it?’ After talking with Mr. Toru Hashimoto, Osaka City Mayor, we reached a conclusion that there is nothing we can do in case of a blackout.”
After the press conference, I, the present writer Tanaka, had had a private interview with the governor until she took an elevator.
Tanaka: Experts consider we have sufficient electricity even in summer. I think this is more convincing than the government’s false announcement of “shortage in electricity.”
Governor: I talked with Mr. Tetsuya Iida and Mr. Shigeaki Koga, and we reached a conclusion that 3 million KW of power compression is possible. But KEPCO did individual enterprises like this, using gestures to explain that the company put pressure on them. Then the enterprises started saying “We will not pay taxes” or “We will leave (from Shiga Prefecture.”
Tanaka: If they (electric power companies) want to cut off electricity, they can do that.
Governor: Yes, it’s true.
Electricity is not cut off because of its shortage.
Power companies cut off electricity as they please.
This fact was pointed out in a planned blackout announced by Tokyo Electric Power Company immediately after 3.11.
Some media reported as uncertain information that KEPCO had pressured Union of Kansai Governments to “accept the resumption.”
And here, at last, politicians have started unveiling the reality of such pressure.
Yesterday on 12th, at a meeting within the House of Representatives (HR), some members of the Democratic Party disclosed that they had been intimidated by the KEPCO’s labor union “to cancel their signatures against resumption, otherwise they would not be recommended in the next election.”
There is an expression: “Knife for something (i.e. madman).” In this case “Blackout for electric power company.” I hope that more and more public figures will come out to expose to the light of the day vicious tricks of electric power companies, undaunted by their threats.
*Tanaka Ryusaku Journal
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